Happy last day of 2012! This is a new category this year and I really like the whole idea of it. I decided to go with top ten 2012 posts by views. Without further ado, here are YOUR Fantastical favorites for 2012:

This was being on the list at all makes me so proud. It is a rather new recipe. Most of the others on the list are months old and I worked hard to get them around. This one kind of went viral on it's own.

Here is another one that I'm happy got into the top 10. It is relatively new too. There is nothing really outwardly special about it, but it was definitely in my top 10 favorite dishes of 2012 too. It was a very flavorful dish and the mashed potatoes were to die for!

This chili was a Secret Recipe Club tribute - it came from the blog The Haggis & The Herring that was written by a husband-wife team. The husband passed away and SRC got together and wanted to make something from their blog in his memory. Rest in peace, Daniel.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Honestly, no matter how many good recipes of other categories I try - desserts are my ultimate favorite. I love dessert. So I'm not going to keep you waiting...here are the best of 2012...

Best Ever Peanut Butter Fudge - I am no stranger to peanut butter fudge. It's my favorite kind of fudge.However, this one stands out because you use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth. I've never had it with crunchy until I tried this recipe and I found out what I was missing all my life.

Andes Creamy Mint Brownies - Okay, maybe Andes Mints were my favorite as a kid, but I got them so rarely that I sometimes forgot about them. These brownies are fudgy, minty, and chewy - topped with a minty, creamy whipped topping and then more Andes Mints on top of that!Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies - So after the funfetti ones, I had to make these blondies. On occasion, I buy a pack or eight of Reese's and shove them in my fridge to snack on when I'm hungry. I loved these even more than the funfetti ones and everyone at my husband's unit (company) loved them too.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Vanilla Cupcakes for Two - There are times when I'm too lazy to leave my house and I may not have a fridge stocked with Reese's...so I search my binders for something quick to make that I have the ingredients for on hand...this recipe is definitely on my list of go-to desserts because it makes two. Meaning I don't have to try and gorge on desserts before they go bad because I'm the only one eating them. They are the perfect amount of vanilla-tasting and I used some leftover rum flavored cream cheese frosting. This was my first successful cupcake decorating too :)Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake - this recipe showed up on my very first themed week: Pumpkin Week. I have had pumpkin cheesecake once and pumpkin cheesecake ice cream once. I definitely love it and this recipe was perfection.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Oreo Pudding Cookies - I don't want to say these are my favorite cookies because the next two are also amazing, but these are probably one of the best cookies I've ever eaten. It was my first pudding cookie recipe to try and I loved them. I've made a few variations of these cookies since trying them back in September. They were apart of this month's themed week: Cookie Week.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies - Now this may be the reason why I can't come out and say the previous were my favorite...these are one of my all-time favorite types of cookies. I first had one when I was a preteen at Subway...they are chewy, crunchy, chocolatey, sugary, and nutty. They are the best. This recipe was dead on for the Subways and I was such a happy girl for it.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Peppermint Meringues - I sure had a lot of firsts in 2012. And you guessed it, these cookies were my first meringue experience. I've eaten meringues once before, but couldn't really remember if I liked them or not. I made these successfully and everyone was blown away at how good they were.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Thin Mint Muddy Buddies - I was inspired by some other variations of Puppy Chow and because I had a leftover box of Thin Mints, I went crazy in my kitchen. At the time, my son couldn't have peanuts or peanut butter - so this was a great alternative for a nut-free house.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Fruit Nachos - I have had this in my arsenal for so long. Again I neglected it and now I am feeling guilty for doing that...you make the chips with tortillas and cinnamon sugar. You top with yogurt and fresh fruit. A super healthy, delicious snack that you can customize to each person eating it.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls - I took a very basic recipe of this and ran with it.

3-2-1 Funfetti Cake Batter Dip - This one was for my kids who loves sweet as much as their momma does, but don't get them as often as I do. It was great with the little Barnum's animal crackers. It's 3 ingredients: cake mix, yogurt, and Cool Whip. :)Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites - I guess I thought these were a main dish and then when I made them they were a lot smaller than expected. So I put them in the appetizer category. They'd be amazing to serve for a group watching a football game or for New Year's Eve.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Popcorn Chicken - I made these for this year's man food week. Without buffalo sauce, the seasoning on the chicken is very distinctive - you can taste every single spice and they all blend together well. I personally couldn't figure out which was my favorite...without the sauce or with it.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Friday, December 28, 2012

I've had a good main dish year - 2012 might be the year of the main dish. I have 15 bests to share with you here. I tried to refrain from adding so many pasta dishes, perhaps 2012 was the year of pasta?? :)

Tamale Balls - this is my mom-in-law's recipe and one that I don't make often enough. The ingredients look so simple, but the flavor is so complex.

Easy Pizza Pasta Casserole - I love baked spaghetti, but unfortunately no one else in the family will eat it. This is basically baked spaghetti topped with pepperoni and they devoured it. I think I can make the compromise of pepperoni on top to eat one of my favorite things in the world!Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Updated Beef Wellington - I had had this recipe in my binders since I got married in 2006. I finally made it and I was sorely disappointed that I hadn't made it earlier. It was simple and looks so fancy. It is also flaky and delicious. Everything about it is good.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Grilled Chicken & Pasta with Basil-Cream Sauce - Another Secret Recipe Club recipe to join some of the best recipes of 2012. The basil-cream sauce was extraordinary. This recipe honestly tastes like it came from a five-star, sit down, formal attire only restaurant.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Grilled Chicken Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce - Another grilled chicken and pasta recipe to make the list, I told you I was trying to refrain from too many pasta favorites, but this one makes it because the sauce surprised me. The tomato took this very smooth, rich, and NOT overpoweringly tomato quality to it. The Montreal steak seasoning on the chicken paired perfectly with the tomato cream sauce. Then, of course, you also have all this on top of pasta! Yum :)Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice - Another PDub recipe! I think this is #3 on the list. I am a sucker for fresh pineapple. I'm also a sucker for carmelized onions and fried rice too. This had everything I could have wanted and more.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Sweet 'N Spicy Hawaiian Pizza - As a child, we had to eat apricots in our school lunches and I despised them. As an adult, I still hate them. This pizza uses apricot preserves as a base, instead of tomato sauce. I was sure that it was going to be weird and I was going to turn up my nose...this was not the case. It was the best Hawaiian pizza I've ever eaten.You never would even know there was apricots on it. My husband tried to guess and couldn't figure it out. He was very surprised!Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Crispy Chicken with Creamy Italian Sauce & Bowtie Pasta - I believe the original called for using cornflakes, but I'm anti-cornflakes all the way and used my favorite, Rice Krispies, to bread the chicken. The sauce is definitely one of my favorites - it's creamy and delicious!Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Pasta - I kept seeing this one all over Pinterest, just like many other recipes I've made this year, and knew I had to try it. We had it twice in two months - which is insane in my house. We never have the same dinner two months in a row. That's crazysauce! So is this recipe. There are so many flavors and textures that work together to create an incredible dish. Every time I see the picture, I drool. It's that good.Source: fantasticalsharingofrecipes.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I try my hardest to give credit where credit is due. If I don't know the source, I mark it as "source unknown". Please feel free to contact me if you know where the recipe originates. I hope that everyone is making sure to cite sources because the fantastical minds behind recipes really deserve credit for them :)

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